Sarkozy invites Indian students to study in France

BANGALORE - French President Nicolas Sarkozy Saturday invited Indian students to study in France and offered to expand ties with Indian universities.

“France wants to host more Indian students. We can educate and train young Indians in cutting-edge research,” Sarkozy said at a function within hours of arriving in this tech hub on a four-day official visit to India.

Noting that Indian youths were eager to seek higher education and that tens of thousands of young Indians were studying abroad, especially in English-speaking countries, Sarkozy said his government has established a specific system to accommodate foreign students in France.

“I hope that by 2012, we will have tripled the number of Indian students in France, compared with 2007. We are also providing special support to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Jodhpur in Rajasthan,” Sarkozy told the 500-strong gathering of top scientists, business executives and students here.

Referring to the Field Medals awarded to French scientists for their outstanding discoveries in mathematics by the International Mathematics Union at its congress in Hyderabad in August, the French president said university reform and the research he had commissioned were bearing fruit and Indian students should also benefit from them.

“At the same time, I would like to see young French people expand their numbers at Indian universities and institutes of higher education. Experiencing India as a young person will be an incomparable asset in understanding todays world and preparing for a cosmopolitan life,” Sarkozy said during his 25-minute address at the Satellite Centre of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).